| Chris Byrne on Mon, 14 May 2001 21:02:40 +0100 |
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| Syndicate: Macedonia briefing 12 may 01 |
>From ebalkan@soros.org.mk
"EURO-BALKAN" INSTITUTE ON MACEDONIAN CRISIS
12-05-2001
CONTENTS:
a) Daily briefing from Macedonian press about
Macedonian crisis
b) Daily briefing from international press
about Macedonian crisis
c) SUPPLEMENT 1: US STATEMENT ON MACEDONIAN
PARTIES COALITION AGREEMENT
D) SUPPLEMENT 2: IWPR'S INTERVIEW WITH ISMAIL
KADARE ON IS HOPES AND FEARS FOR THE REGION
a) DAILY BRIEFING FROM MACEDONIAN PRESS ABOUT
MACEDONIAN CRISIS
ONLY THE MACEDONIAN FORCES PROCLAIMED CEASEFIRE
The Macedonian security forces, yesterday from
about 5:00 in the morning until 20:00 in the
evening, ceased fire on the Kumanovo front in
order to allow evacuation of the local
inhabitants. The International Red Cross
evacuated 69 people from the villages Vaksince,
Lipkovo, Orizare and Slupchane. During the
ceasefire, yesterday about 5:30, the
International Red Cross sent 4 teams in the
villages in the crisis region. The teams
evacuated 50 people from Vaksince, 15 from
Lipkovo and 4 from Slupchane and Orizare. The
refugees, mainly elders, women and children were
transferred to Kumanovo and Skopje. "Thanks to
the agreement for a continuing ceasefire, we
were able to send our teams in 4 villages. Our
teams could reach the basements of the houses
where civilians were hiding. The operation was
conducted with complete transparency from both
sides. The civilians are very worried, they are
hiding in the basements for more than a week,
food and water are becoming a problem", stated
Anick Bouvier, representative of the
International Red Cross. The Prime Minister,
Ljubcho Georgievski, stated yesterday that the
Macedonian Security Forces can't stop the
military actions for a longer period of time,
i.e. to fulfill the condition set by the PDP
(Party for Democratic Prosperity) for entering
the grand coalition. Evaluating that there is an
"open attack on Macedonian territory",
Georgievski added that Macedonia still stands
strong on the decision to continue political
dialogue. ("DNEVNIK")
A POLITICAL UNITY GOVERNMENT IS TO BE VOTED FOR
ON SUNDAY
The leaders of the 4 greatest parties in the
country, Ljubcho Georgievski, Branko
Crvenkovski, Arben Xhaferi and Imer Imeri,
yesterday brought a final decision for the
forming of a political unity government, in
which other parties are going to be included.
The new government will be elected on the
Parliament session on Sunday, at 17:00. On the
meeting with the leaders once again the common
endeavor was confirmed, that this government's
main duty would be the stabilizing of the
security in Macedonia, continuing of an intense
political dialogue and organizing fair
extraordinary parliamentary elections. Although
it was expected Georgievski to give the names of
the participants in the new government very
soon, it didn't happen yesterday. The almost one-
week long "fermentation" of the different
opinions in the PDP on whether they should or
shouldn't enter the coalition, slowed down the
entire process of the negotiations between the
parties and they joined the discussions on the
dividing of the government "cake" only
yesterday. Yesterday afternoon the PDP left the
session of the Central Presidency in Tetovo and
the party leaders headed towards Skopje on
urgent consultations. Together with the leader
Imer Imeri, also present on the consultations
with the Prime Minister Georgievski, were
Abduladi Vejseli, the general secretary, Muhamed
Halili and the head of the representative group,
Naser Ziberi. The discussions were conducted in
the presence and mediation of the British
ambassador Mark Dickinson and the EU
representative, Jose Pinto Tesheira. The
representatives will review the proposal list of
ministers made by the Prime Minister Ljubcho
Georgievski on Sunday. According to the
Constitution, if the Government President
decides to relieve from duty more that 1/3 of
the Government members of the previous
formation, it comes down to election of a new
government. The parliament, in this particular
case will decide on a new government, and for
its acceptance, a 2/3 of votes from the entire
number of representatives in the Parliament is
required. ("DNEVNIK")
FROM THE POLICE STATION IN THE VILLAGE MATEJCHE
IN THE KUMANOVO REGION
The deputy commander, Miljazim Cazimi, from the
police station in the village Matejche in the
Kumanovo region, with 6 other policemen, from
the start of the crisis in that region do not
appear at their posts. It is assumed that the
police officers, with all the official arms from
their work place, joined the terrorist NLA and
actively participate in combat against the
Macedonian security forces. Officially, the
deputy commander and the police officers from
the police station Matejche, say that they are
on sick leave and that the police are in contact
with them from time to time. The police hasn't
got solid, final, proof whether the policemen
from Matejche, with the official arms, have for
the time being or definitely, joined the
terrorists or if they are going to come back to
work, once they get well. ("VEST")
THE PRESIDENT TRAJKOVSKI MET WITH NATO AND KFOR
REPRESENTATIVES
Macedonia is facing security problems provoked
by the terrorists whose roots and further
existence are in Kosovo, underlined the
President Boris Trajkovski on yesterday's
meeting with the lieutenant general, Torsten
Skiaker, the new KFOR commander, Hansjorg Eiff,
high civil commissioner of NATO in the country
and mayor general, Gunnar Lange, commander of
the headquarters rear of KFOR. On the meeting, a
mutual satisfaction of the progress in the
cooperation between Macedonia and the KFOR
forces is expressed, but it was also concluded
that additional endeavors are necessary to
intensify the mutual contacts in the exchange of
information and cooperation in the operations
for stronger control on the Macedonian-Yugoslav
border with Kosovo. ("UTRINSKI VESNIK")
b) DAILY BRIEFING FROM INTERNATIONAL PRESS ABOUT
MACEDONIAN CRISIS
MACEDONIAN PARTIES JOIN FORCES FOR PEACE
Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski announced that the
country's four main political parties have agreed to create a government
to address ethnic grievances that have stoked a guerrilla rebellion by
ethnic Albanians. "The parties concluded that intensive political
dialogue must be maintained and that early, free and fair parliamentary
elections must be organized," Georgievski said. The parties also
"reiterated their common interest that [improving] the security situation
in the country should be their basic task," he said.
It "broadens the base of the government, defuses the state of war, and
provides for negotiations sooner rather than later" on political reforms
aimed at addressing complaints by the ethnic Albanian minority about
discrimination by the Macedonian Slav majority, said a NATO official.
Washington Post Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign affairs
chief, called the alliance a "concrete expression" of unity. "Those
responsible for terrorist acts must know that they are totally isolated,"
Solana said. (Excerpts from AP) The new government will aim to unite the
country against the rebels, and make moves to satisfy the demands of
the minority Albanian population. Macedonian Prime Minister Ljubco
Georgievski on Thursday ruled out a prolonged ceasefire saying it would
allow the rebels to regroup. But Western leaders hope the formation of a
coalition could lead to an extended and internationally monitored
ceasefire as well as the withdrawal of the militants. However the rebel
group, the National Liberation Army (NLA), says that the creation of a
multi-ethnic coalition will not affect their campaign. "A coalition
government, whose main aim is the isolation of the NLA, will not help to
solve the problem, but creates huge concerns for the NLA that viable
conditions cannot be created for sincere dialogue," a statement by the
rebels said. (Excerpts from BBC) "The creation of the coalition
government...does not help solve the situation," the National Liberation
Army said in a communiqu? signed by NLA political leader Ali Ahmeti.
(Excerpts from Los Angeles Times)" The rebel group, the National
Liberation Army (NLA), says that the creation of a multi-ethnic coalition
will not affect their campaign. A coalition government, whose main aim is
the isolation of the NLA, will not help to solve the problem, but creates
huge concerns for the NLA that viable conditions cannot be created for
sincere dialogue," a statement by the rebels said. But the BBC
correspondent in Macedonia, Nick Thorpe, says if the rebels do not now
withdraw, their claim to have the same goals as the political parties will
be exposed as a lie and backing for the Macedonian military could
increase. (Excerpts from BBC) "They are not going to get a place at the
negotiating table," a senior Western diplomat said. (Excerpts from
Reuters)
MACEDONIA ORDERS SHELLING HALTED IN COALITION BID
Macedonia ordered a dawn-to-dusk halt to the shelling of ethnic
Albanian guerrillas on Friday as politicians and diplomats piled pressure
on a key Albanian party to join an emergency coalition government. A
Western diplomat in Skopje said President Boris Trajkovski had ordered
the 15-hour pause as Macedonia made a last-ditch bid to lure the
Albanian Party of Democratic Prosperity (PDP) into an all-party
government designed to isolate the guerrillas. "Officially the cease-fire
was presented to allow civilians to evacuate and aid organizations to
provide humanitarian assistance," the diplomat said. "There is a cease-
fire going on to enable the coalition negotiations with the PDP to
proceed." (Excerpts from Reuters)
SOLANA WELCOMES THE FORMATION OF A GRAND COALITION
GOVERNMENT IN SKOPJE
Dr Solana made the following comments today in Brussels shortly after
the announcement by the Macedonian Prime Minister Mr. Ljubco
Georgievski, of the formation of a broadly based coalition government.
"I very much welcome the announcement of the formation of a grand
coalition government in Skopje. This is a concrete expression of the
desire of all shades of political opinion in the country for a political
solution to the current situation. I hope and expect that the formation of
this broadly based government will give new momentum to the inter-
ethnic dialogue already launched. Now, more than ever, the leaders of all
political parties stand together against the threats of destabilization.
Those responsible for terrorist acts must know that they are totally
isolated. The country can continue on its path towards European
integration, which the EU stands ready to support". (Excerpts from the
Press Release)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE DAILY PRESS BRIEFING (FRIDAY,
MAY 11, 2001)
Boucher: Obviously this is a major step forward that the United States
welcomes. They decided today to join together in the formation of a
wider government coalition that would include five major ethnic
Macedonian and ethnic Albanian government and opposition parties.
We have been in touch with the party leaders, who we'll all remember
that the Secretary of State when he was in Macedonia met with leaders of
the political parties, encouraged their cooperation, encouraged the
political resolution, the political openings that were necessary to
offer an
opportunity to all Albanians to be represented in the political system. So
this is a very important step. Secretary Powell has subsequently been in
touch with the party leaders, sent them all a letter encouraging them to
take this step, and we're glad to see them do it. We've also been in touch
obviously with the European Union and the Swedish Government, which
is in the presidency of the European Union, who have been working
along these lines as well. We think the broadened coalition offers an
appropriate vehicle for advancing interethnic reforms. We would urge
the coalition parties to accelerate progress on that important agenda. The
step I think demonstrates that there is a broad national consensus in
Macedonia to support dialogue and to act firmly against the
violence.Once again, we have to condemn the extremist violence that
extremist Albanian groups have been undertaking. They need to
immediately cease their acts of violence and withdraw from the occupied
villages. So we have a slightly more formal version of that coming out for
you. It will be available as soon as the briefing is over, I am sure.
IF WIDER COALITION IS NOT FORMED, THE FUTURE IS A
FAILURE, POWELL WRITES TO XHAFERI
Arben Xhaferi, president of the Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA),
received a letter from U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, emphasizing
the importance of forming a government for the future of the country.
According to Powell, Xhaferi is on the threshold of an important step
regarding the forming of a wider governmental coalition. He greeted the
efforts made by Xhaferi in this direction encouraging him to practice the
power of a leader and show his flexibility in achieving a consensus. In
his letter, Powell also said that if the mentioned step is not taken, we
would be facing a big failure in the future that would probably lose all
hope and deepen the crisis. The forming of a new coalition would send a
strong signal showing that a wide national consensus exists in
Macedonia that supports dialogue and eliminates violence. He expressed
confidence that this step would give way to a solution of the current
crisis isolating those who use violence to destabilize the country. The
U.S. Secretary of State concludes in his letter to Xhaferi that the United
States would give support in the negotiation process, which is the only
way toward progress of all the citizens of Macedonia. (Excerpts from
KosovaLive)
NATO BORDER CONTROL EXPERTS HELP ALBANIA
NATO Secretary-General Lord George Robertson, returning from a visit
to Skopje, told reporters in Brussels that "there is a NATO assessment
team there at the moment to assist the Albanian government with looking
at how border controls can be further tightened." He added that
Macedonia's border with Kosovo is already heavily policed on both
sides. Albanian Prime Minister Ilir Meta, speaking in Brussels told EU
and NATO officials that the insurgents are not getting any supplies from
Albania. (Excerpts from RFE/RL)
YUGOSLAV TROOPS DUE TO ADVANCE IN BUFFER ZONE
A NATO official said on Friday he expected Yugoslav forces soon to re-
enter a section of a post-war buffer zone where ethnic Albanian guerrillas
are based, despite the risk of clashes. NATO special envoy Pieter Feith
said he had told Serbian officials as well as rebel commanders that the
alliance would decide on Monday on an early entry of Yugoslav forces
to a previously demilitarized area just east of U.N.-governed Kosovo.
The rebels in southern Serbia's volatile Presevo Valley were first seen in
public in early 2000. A similar guerrilla group emerged early this year in
neighboring Macedonia. (Excerpts from Los Angeles Times)
US SEEKS TRAVEL BAN FOR BALKAN REBEL BACKERS
People who are actively backing or involved with ethnic Albanian rebels
will be banned from traveling to the United States, a senior American
official said on Thursday. The United States opposes ethnic Albanian
rebel groups in Macedonia and nearby southern Serbia as "destructive
to all", U.S. Balkans envoy James Pardew said. "Anyone involved with
extremists or actively supporting them will not be allowed to travel to
the
U.S.," Pardew said. The United States would ask its European friends to
make a similar travel ban, he said. Pardew did not specify how the United
States would determine someone was supporting the rebels. Pardew,
echoing the views of other Western officials, said legitimate complaints
of Albanians should be addressed through the
political process. "We condemn violence by extremists," he said.
"It is
quite clear there's discrimination against the Albanian community, but
that is not right for them to resolve it with violence." (Excerpts from
Reuters)
55 STATES CONDEMN RENEWED VIOLENCE IN MACEDONIA
The Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Co-
operation in Europe (OSCE), consisting of Representatives of all 55
participating States, has today adopted the following statement:
The Permanent Council condemns in the strongest terms the renewed
violent attacks, including terrorist activities by ethnic Albanian
extremist groups in the northern parts of the former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia. They constitute a threat to the security and stability of
the state and of the wider region. These acts could seriously threaten
democratic processes and undermine inter-ethnic relations in the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
The participating States express their strong support for the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia. The Permanent Council supports the Government in its
efforts to end the violence in a proportionate manner, consistent with the
rule of law. It calls on the political leaders in the country and in the
region, who have yet not done so, to condemn unambiguously the
violent acts and terrorist activities, to isolate those committing them
and
to use their influence to secure peace. Extremists who are engaged in
violent acts must cease all such actions immediately, release the
hostages and lay down their weapons.
The Council welcomes the establishment of the mechanism for
enhanced political dialogue under the leadership of President Trajkovski
with the view to ensuring that all citizens, irrespective of their ethnic
origin, have a stake in the development of their country.
The Council encourages the speedy formation of a broad coalition
government consisting of all relevant political parties and reflecting
the need for national unity and the continuation of the successful
reform processes in the country. It urges all relevant political
leaders to
take their responsibility for the stability of the country and join the
coalition. Furthermore, the Council considers that the inter-ethnic
dialogue should continue and that all those involved should do their
best to produce concrete results as soon as possible.
(OSCE Press Release)
c) SUPPLEMENT 1: US STATEMENT ON MACEDONIAN
PARTIES COALITION AGREEMENT
PRESS STATEMENT
Richard Boucher, Spokesman
MACEDONIAN PARTIES AGREE TO GRAND COALITION
The United States welcomes the decisions today
of five major ethnic
Macedonian and ethnic Albanian government and
opposition parties -- the
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-
Democratic Party for
Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE), the
Democratic Party of
Albanians (DPA), the Social Democratic Alliance
of Macedonia (SDSM), the Party of Democratic
Prosperity (PDP), and the Liberal Party (LP) --
to join together in the formation of a wider
government coalition.
Secretary Powell has been in touch with the
party leaders, urging
them to take this important step, as have
European Union High
Representative for Common Security and Foreign
Policy Javier Solana and
Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh, on behalf
of the Presidency of the
European Union. The broadened coalition provides
the appropriate vehicle for advancing
interethnic reforms, and we urge the new
coalition parties to accelerate progress on this
important agenda. This step demonstrates that
there is a broad national consensus in
Macedonia, representative of the great majority
of Macedonian Slavs and Macedonian Albanians, in
support of dialogue and firmly against violence.
Those who chose to use violence and terrorist
actions ostensibly to advance the position of
Macedonian Albanians have neither legitimacy nor
support. We call on the extremist ethnic
Albanian groups to immediately cease their acts
of violence and withdraw from occupied villages.
Their actions serve only to cripple political
progress for Macedonia's ethnic Albanians,
damaging the interests of ethnic Albanians in
Kosovo and throughout the region.
The United States reiterates its
condemnation of all extremist
violence, and our strong support for the
democratically elected leaders
of Macedonia and the path of dialogue they have
embarked upon. That is
the only way to advance the rights of all
citizens of Macedonia.
Released on May 11, 2001
d) SUPPLEMENT 2: IWPR'S INTERVIEW WITH ISMAIL
KADARE ON IS HOPES AND FEARS FOR THE REGION
IWPR: Over the past week, Macedonian armed
forces have been shelling
rebel ethnic Albanian positions around Kumanovo.
There have been many
civilian casualties as well as hundreds of
houses destroyed. Although
the international community has managed to
persuade the government to
broaden the ruling coalition, there are obvious
fears that the conflict
could escalate out of control. Is this
inevitable?
KADARE: The most important thing at the moment
is to stop the killing
and stop the shelling of Albanian villages.
Bombarding your own people
is not the right road to go down.The right
road is dialogue.The
people capable of bringing peace back to the
region should sit down at
the negotiating table and there should be no
taboo subjects - as these
have stalled previous negotiations. I'm waiting
and hoping that the NLA
will find their place in the Macedonian peace
process. Everybody should work to save Macedonia
from any escalation in this war. There
arepeople who say, "As long as Albanians'
rights are not being respected, the war should
go on". This is not the right thing to be
saying. Putting down the weapons is the only
reasonable course of action. The continuing
radicalization of opinion could lead towards the
creation of a Lebanon in the Balkans and this
would be a catastrophe for everyone, regardless
of their ethnic origin. We must stop this
psychosis from spreading further.
IWPR:Do you consider Albania itself can act as
a stabilizing factor in the Balkans and help
push for a peaceful solution?I'm thinking more
of Kosovo here.
KADARE:A stable and peaceful Albania will be
extremely helpful to
Albanians wherever they are. The best way that
Albania can help Kosovo
today, in its rightful struggle for
independence, is to lead by example
- as a stable and serious state with strong
democratic institutions - a
country which has left behind the sort of anarchy which it has fallen
into several times over the last decade. Every step towards stability in
Albania directly impacts on Kosovo's independence aspirations.
IWPR: What about the continuing tensions in the Presevo valley?
KADARE:I think the Albanians in the Presevo valley will have gained a
major victory if they manage to secure themselves basic human rights in
the area - and are allowed to live a normal life and not suffer as they
have done in the past.At present, they are part of another state, a
minority as many others in the Balkans. There is a Greek minority in
Albania,
there are minorities in Bulgaria, Macedonia and other countries, as
well as in
Kosovo. If we agree to safeguard the rights of minorities, then that
principle
must apply everywhere, not only when it happens to be convenient. The
problem
of minorities exists across Europe and Albanians in Presevo are a part
of that,
so they have the absolute right to live and be counted as equals to other
citizens in Serbia. Nobody can deny that this is a just demand.
IWPR: You have said several times that the concept of a 'Greater
Albania' has been manufactured by enemies of Albanians. Who do you mean
exactly?
KADARE: I think that the Albanian people have tried hard, and finally
succeeded, in showing the international community that the so-called
'Greater Albania' threat is not at all real. In my opinion, this is a
demon created by anti-Albanian elements to justify pressuring the
Albanian people. Unfortunately, after the international community
accepted that
this risk did not exist, the issue was dragged back up again. You know,
one
Albanian party recently came out in open support of a 'Greater
Albania', and
there have been other extremist groups and individuals which have
conjured up
this ghost. We should be clear about the issue: the Albanian people
have the
right, as all other peoples in the world, to wish to one day - if the
right
conditions prevail, and if the Albanians want it - recreate a united
Albanian
region. But Albanians do not want to achieve this through violence, nor
do they
want to confront the issue immediately. This unique Albanian space,
if it is to be created one day, should be created within a fully
democratic and integrated Balkans. So, if the Balkans are to be
integrated into
Europe, if borders between states become less important, if there is to
be free
movement of people, cultures and goods, there is no reason to prevent the
Albanians from enjoying something that all other peoples can have.
IWPR: History has shown that people in the Balkans have never been able
to solve their problems without international intervention. All Balkan
countries want to join Europe as soon as possible. What are Albanians
expectations?
KADARE: Of all the people in the Balkans who want to join Europe, the
Albanians are the keenest. Albanians have looked to Europe for the
implementation of international law and human rights. It is in the
interest of the Albanians that this area of the Balkans, as a whole,
becomes closer to Europe.
IWPR: How do feel about Albania now, about changes that have been made
in the country over the past few years?
KADARE: Albania is developing, but this is mainly thanks to the
vitality of its
people rather than to its political structures. Everybody can feel that
people
here are eager to make up for the time that has been lost. You can see
there is
huge amount of economic activity in Albania. Unfortunately, the state
is not
doing its part to facilitate this. There are big problems to be
countered here,
mainly regarding relations between the government and the opposition.
Lately, I
have noticed some improvements: there is less political pressure, and
this is a
good sign. Now parties are keener on searching for compromise
solutions, but it
is still a far cry from real political progress in Albania.
IWPR: Change is also slow coming to Serbia. Milosevic may be behind
bars but
Serbian society is still struggling with those people who want
substantive changes and those actively trying to prevent that. How long
will it be, do you think, before Serbia can deal
with its past?
KADARE: History has shown us that it takes a
long time for the effects
of political barbarity to be washed away from a
country. It takes time
to remove the poison that has been spread over
time. It would be very
naive to believe that Serbia will develop into a
full democracy any time soon. It is going to be
a struggle. People in the Balkans should try to
clear their consciences, to own up to crimes
committed in the past. Even those intellectuals
who have participated in or organized crimes in
the Balkans should find the moral strength to do
so. Without that, there is no going forward.
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